Sedgwick County, Kansas: drinking water report. Sedgwick County – Wichita – serves about 520,000 residents.
Sedgwick County – Wichita – serves about 520,000 residents. The City of Wichita draws from Cheney Reservoir and the Equus Beds Aquifer, a major groundwater system in south-central Kansas. The city has invested significantly in the Aquifer Storage and Recovery (ASR) project, which diverts excess surface water from the Little Arkansas River into the Equus Beds to replenish the aquifer and push back a saltwater plume that has been encroaching from natural brine deposits.
Wichita's split supply – surface reservoir and groundwater – provides redundancy but also means the contaminant profile depends on which source is dominant at any given time. UCMR5 data shows low-level PFAS detections in the Wichita system. McConnell Air Force Base, located in the southeast part of the metro, is a confirmed PFAS source from AFFF use.
According to the Kansas Department of Health and Environment's 2024 monitoring data, PFAS levels in the City of Wichita system were below proposed federal MCLs. The saltwater intrusion into the Equus Beds remains the longer-term supply concern, though the ASR project has shown measurable success in pushing the brine front back.
Wichita's dual supply system provides resilience, but the PFAS picture near McConnell AFB deserves attention if you live in the southeast metro.
Check your water for data specific to your area. For PFAS, activated carbon or reverse osmosis work at the household level. Our water filter guide covers options. Pull your detailed report, and visit our Kansas page for statewide data.